Ceasefire tested as Israel Urged to Retaliate by Trump

In the shadow of a fragile truce between Gaza and Israel, Donald Trump stepped forward with a striking message: “If Israeli soldiers are killed, they should hit back,” even as he insisted the cease fire would not be jeopardised.

According to reports, Israel carried out three strikes in Gaza despite an existing truce. Gaza’s civil-defence agency claimed that around 30 people were killed in those attacks. The immediate flashpoint was a dispute over the return of hostage remains. Israel accused Hamas of staging a “discovery,” while Hamas said war-damage made recovery difficult. 

On board Air Force One, Trump claimed the truce would hold: “Nothing is going to jeopardise the cease-fire,” he said, while backing Israel’s right to respond to attacks on its troops. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered “powerful strikes” after accusing Hamas of crossing a “bright red line” by attacking Israeli soldiers. 

The hostages’ remains dispute runs deep. Under the truce deal of 10 October, Hamas had agreed to return 28 bodies of hostages. But Israel’s forensic examination claimed Hamas handed over remains of a hostage whose body was already returned two years ago. Hamas then pushed back, saying that Israeli bombardment made the locations unrecognisable and that the delay in returning bodies was not a violation. 

While skirmishes erupted, US Vice-President J.D. Vance said the cease-fire was holding despite the flare-ups. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be little skirmishes,” he noted, though he expressed confidence in the broader deal. 

What’s clear is that the truce remains precarious. With over 68,000 reported deaths in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, tensions are running high on all sides. As the world watches, the line between peace and renewed conflict remains dangerously thin.